Balloon fin jacket assembly



Nov. 20, 1962 D. c. JALBERT 3,064,926

BALLOON FIN JACKET ASSEMBLY Filed OC'h. 24, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR OMINA C. JALBERT F IG 5 E ATTORNEY Nov. 20, 1962 D. c. JALBERTBALLOON FIN JACKET ASSEMBLY 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 24, 1961INVENTOR. DOMINA C. JALBERT 1 AT TO RN EY nited States Patent Ofifice3,%4,9Zfi Patented Nov. 20, l=82 3,064,926 BALLOON FIN JACKET ASSEMBLYDomina C. .laibert, 140 NW. 20th St., Boca Raton, Fla. Filed Oct. 24,1961, Ser. No. 147,245 3 Claims. (Cl. 244-31) This invention relates toballoon construction and more particularly to a fin assembly adapted foruse on balloons of the kite or captive type, and to means by which sucha fin assembly can be readily secured to or detached from the balloonenvelope.

The advantages and uses of captive or kite balloons are well known, thesame being used for many purposes, such as for the sending aloft ofphotographic cameras, various kinds of instruments for weatherdetermination or for other uses, for advertising etc.

Under certain weather conditions it is desirable to secure properstabilization of the balloon by the use of tail fins, and it istherefore an object of the invention to provide a fin assembly for useon these balloons and to provide means by which such an assembly can beeasily applied to or removed from the envelope of the balloon.

it is another object of the invention to provide a finsupporting framestructure having its elements so connected as to permit of collapse ordis-assembly, thereby requiring the structure to need but small spaceduring transportation or storage.

It is an object of the invention to provide a novel means for attachinga fin assembly to the gas bag or envelope whereby the fin structure canbe unitarily removed from the bag or attached to the same.

More particularly, the invention contemplates the pro- Vision of aplurality of light weight metal frames encircling the balloon envelopeadjacent to its rear end and maintained in spaced relation thereon, saidframes being connected and maintained in their spaced relation byradially-projecting fins, such fins including as part of their frames,rods having ends which project forwardly and rearwardly of the assemblyframes and which ends are removably received in socket members in theform of flexible loops or straps provided on the outer surface of thebag or envelope.

With these and other objects to be hereinafter set forth in view, I havedevised the arrangement of parts to be described and more particularlypointed out in the claims appended hereto.

In the accompanying drawings, wherein an illustrative embodiment of theinvention is disclosed,

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of a captive or kite balloon to whichthe improved tail or fin assembly has been applied;

FIG. 2 is an end view of the balloon as seen from the right of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the tin assembly;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view, taken substantially on the linet-4 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 shows the connection employed between struts or parts of the finassembly, and

HQ. 6 shows how the extended parts of the fins are inserted in socketsin the form of loops or straps provided on the envelope of the balloon.

Referring to the drawing, 1 generally indicates the bag or gas envelopeof the balloon. The body of the envelope is composed of fabric of anykind that can be suitably employed for balloon construction and theenvelope is of the non-rigid type or that in which its shape ismaintained by being gas-inflated. In the form shown, the bag or envelopeis of tear-drop shape, having a larger-diameter forward nose portion 2and a tapering rear end or tail portion 3.

The fin assembly, adapted for attachment to the tapering rear end 2 ofthe envelope, is adapted to be secured to the envelope by elementsentering into a plurality of sockets in the form of loops or straps 4and 4a secured on the outer surface of the envelope at suitablepositions thereon in the tapering tail area thereof. These loops 4- andin may be composed of flexible tapes or the like.

The fin assembly includes a pair of substantially rectangular framesindicated respectively at 5 and 6, said frames being disposed in spacedrelation on the envelope by means of the four fins indicatedrespectively at 7, 8, 9 and 1d. The several fins may be of the shapeillustrated or they may be of other shape according to stabilizingrequirements.

Each of the fins consists of a fabric-covered frame, preferably composedof light weight metal rod, such as aluminum, and each frame includes anouter rod 11, an inner or base rod 12. and end rods 13 and 14. Each ofthe inner rods 12 is extended or projected beyond the frames 5 and 6,the extended end 15 of such rods constituting elements which fit underthe loops or straps 4 and 4a to thereby removably attach the finassembly to the envelope.

The fins 7 to 14} inclusive have their covering provided with reinforcedapertures as shown at 16 and 17, the apertures 16 enabling the ends ofthe rods which form the frame 6 to have access to and pivotally attachto brace member 18 which form a part of each of the frames of the fins.Bolts such as shown at 19 are used to establish connection between theelements of the frame 6 and the braces 18.

The forward or larger frame 5 of the assembly is braced adjacent to itscorners by means of diagonal braces 20 which connect to the inner rod 12of the fin frames. The rods which form the frame 5 are attached by bolts22 (FIG. 4) to the forward struts 13 of the fin frames. The rear orsmaller frame 6 of the assembly is braced by the brace members shown at23.

All of the framework of the fin assembly can be made of light weightmetal, such as aluminum rod, and the joinder between the various partsof the several frames may be established by bolts, such as shown at 18in FIG. 5 and through such arrangement the frames may be quickly andeasily collapsed and dis-mantled for trans portation, storage or forother purposes.

In its assembled position, the fin assembly appears as shown in FIG. 3,and in fitting the same upon the tapered rear end of the balloon, it isplaced on the envelope thereof with the larger frame 5 arranged foremostand the smaller frame 6 disposed adjacent to the rear extremity of theenvelope. The tapered rear end of the envelope fits within the bracesZti of the forward frame 5 and fits within and is encircled by thebraces 23 of the rear frame 6. In attaching the fin assembly to theballoon envelope, the forwardly projecting ends 15 of the rods 12 areinserted under the forward loops or straps do, While therearWardly-projecting ends l5 are inserted under the rear loops orstraps 4, thus securely attaching the fin assembly to the balloonenvelope but permitting its ready detachment therefrom by withdrawingthe ends 15 from under the several loops or straps 4 and do, whenweather conditions do not require the use of stabilizing fins on theballoon.

When the fin assembly is removed from the envelope, the connectionsbetween the various struts and brace members are such as to permitcollapse of the several frames and if desired, the quick dis-mantling ofthe assembly.

By means of the construction described, a fin assembly is provided whichcan be readily attached to or removed from a balloon envelope withoutthe employment of parts or elements likely to damage the fabric of theenvelope; which fin assembly can be quickly attached to or removed fromthe envelope Without requiring the use of tools, and which assembly canbe collapsed or dis-assembled to enable it to occupy only a small spaceduring transportation or storage.

While I have herein suggested that the envelope of the balloon shall beof certain conformation and that the described assembly shall includefour fins, it will be apparent that the envelope may be of a shape otherthan that illustrated and the number of fins employed may be increasedor decreased. For example, a three-finned assembly can also be made andused with complete satisfaction.

The nature of the fin assembly is such that if a balloon envelope isdamaged or destroyed, the fin assembly is likely to remain intact oronly slightly damaged, and if damaged the damaged parts are easilyreplaced and the assembly speedily made ready for attachment to anotherballoon envelope.

Having thus described a single embodiment of the invention, it isobvious that the same is not to be restricted thereto, but is broadenough to cover all structures coming Within the scope of the annexedclaims.

What I claim is:

l. A fin assembly for balloons comprising, a pair of spaced-apartrectangular metal-rod frames, said frames being maintained in theirspaced relation by means of a plurality of radially-projecting fins,each fin consisting of a fabric-covered metal rod frame including aninner 30 frame element, each of said frame elements having projectingends extending beyond the frames, and a balloon envelope provided on itsouter surface with a plurality of loop members into Which saidprojecting ends are inserted to extend longitudinally of the balloonthereby attaching the assembly to the balloon envelope.

2. A fin assembly as provided for in claim 1, wherein the frames andfins are "connected in operative relationship by means permitting their.vpivotal collapse, and the loops on the envelope arrangedin spacedrelation on the outer face of the balloon envelope to removably receivethe end elements on the fin frame members.

3. A fin assembly for a balloon envelope having a tapered rear end, afin-rnou'nting assembly including a forward frame encircling theenvelope in advance of the rear extremity of the envelope, a smallerframe encircling the envelope substantially'close to its rear extremity,brace means in each of the frames for strengthening the same, theenvelope fitting within the brace means, a plurality of fins extendingbetween the frames and maintaining them in their spaced relation, eachof said fins having a base rod formed with extended ends projectingbeyond the frames and forming attaching elements, the envelope having aplurality of loops on its outer face for the reception of the attachingelements to thereby secure the fin assembly to the balloon envelope.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,707,608 Moore May 3, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 119,394 Sweden July 29, 1947

